Along U.S. Route 1, Maine voters worry about heating oil, gas and Canadian tariffs
Fall came early in Aroostook County, Maine — the shared birthplace of Republican Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson.
asserted
Fall → worry → Collins
By early-September, amber leaves start to greet drivers along the two-lane roads of Aroostook, the northernmost county in the contiguous U.S. This year, a few red, white and blue campaign signs for Collins and Jackson add to the colorful display dotting U.S. Route 1.
asserted
signs → start → Route
Route 1 is a road both Collins and Jackson know well as it runs through both of their hometowns.
asserted
it → know → hometowns
Collins is from Caribou, Maine while Jackson was born in Fort Kent, about 40 miles north.
asserted
Jackson → bear → Kent
Statistically, the race between them is a toss-up, according to Andrew Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center which runs polls in Maine.
uncertain
which → accord → Maine
Voters in Aroostook County — who supported Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016 — could decide which home-county candidate ultimately wins.
uncertain
candidate → support → 2016
"If the rural voters come out and vote strongly, they'll likely vote for Susan Collins," Smith said.
asserted
Smith → come → Collins
"If Susan Collins is going to be successful, she's really going to have to get those blue collar rural voters out to the polls and that's going to be a challenge."
asserted
that → go → polls
To Smith, both Collins and Jackson face enthusiasm problems.
asserted
Collins → face → problems
"It probably helps Susan Collins that [Graham] Platner is not on the ticket because Jackson doesn't have that enthusiasm, doesn't bring that charisma to the race," Smith said.
asserted
Smith → help → race
"But at the same time, this is going to be a good year for Democrats and there's not as much reason for Republicans to get out to vote."
asserted
Republicans → go → Democrats
Jackson is a late addition to the Senate race after the original Democratic nominee, Graham Platner, dropped out following allegations of rape that he denies.
Aroostook County Republican Committee Chair Christopher Lydon isn't worried about any enthusiasm problems for Collins, noting her long record in the Senate.
asserted
Lydon → drop → Senate
"I think the base is still there with [Collins] and she does a lot for the state," Lydon said sitting in the party's headquarters in Caribou.
asserted
Lydon → think → Caribou
"She's been very active this time with the parades and getting out there.
asserted
She → get → parades
So I think despite what the other side might say, I think people are there with her.
uncertain
people → think → her
I think she's got a good chance of winning again."
asserted
she → think → chance
Collins has won five Senate races.
asserted
Collins → win → races
Each time, her home county has turned out for her at the polls by double-digit margins.
asserted
county → turn → margins
The Jackson campaign thinks that streak will end in November.
asserted
streak → think → November
"I think the sixth will be different," Jackson booster and Executive Director of the Maine AFL-CIO Matt Schlobohm said.
asserted
Schlobohm → think → CIO
"I mean, I think Troy will win Aroostook County.
asserted
Troy → mean → County
I think he will win this race."
asserted
he → think → race
Schlobohm first met Jackson 25 years ago.
asserted
Schlobohm → meet → Jackson
Since then, Schlobohm has campaigned with him for seats in Maine's state House and Senate — all based in Jackson's home county.
asserted
all → campaign → county
"Folks in Aroostook County and all over Maine drive a lot," Schlobohm added.
asserted
Schlobohm → drive → Maine
Susan Collins voted and supported this foolish, reckless war in Iran that has directly made life harder for working Mainers."
When asked about the Iran war and the ensuing jump in gas prices, Republican Party county chair Lydon backed the president.
asserted
Lydon → vote → president
"That's a temporary thing," Lydon said sitting beside a lifesized cut out of Trump.
asserted
Lydon → say → Trump
"I think the president is doing something that needed to be done, that's carrying on a lot longer than he thought it would.
asserted
it → think → something
But he acknowledged the political problem the war has created.
asserted
war → acknowledge → problem
"People are angry about the price of gas and, I mean, heating oil is coming up in the winter," Lydon said.
asserted
Lydon → mean → winter
In the parking lot outside Lydon's office, 54-year-old Sabrina Haney sold produce from local farmers beside a sign listing "corn, cukes, and potatoes."
asserted
Haney → sell → corn
She's lived in Caribou for three decades.
asserted
She → live → decades
"When I moved up here 32 years ago, it was $0.99 a gallon," Haney said of gas prices.
asserted
Haney → move → prices
"And now, I've seen it go up to $5 a gallon.
asserted
it → see → ?
So it just needs to come down.
asserted
it → need → ?
"We're only about maybe 10 minutes from the border," said Haney, who describes herself as a Trump voter.
asserted
who → say → voter
"It hurts because Canada, the people, used to come here and spend their money and now that they put tariffs on there, they're just going to cut back and stay in their own country."
asserted
they → hurt → country
Moreover, she said farmers are having to raise their prices because they buy their fertilizer in Canada.
asserted
they → say → Canada
"It's ridiculous," she said.
asserted
she → say → ?
"We've always worked well with Canada."
asserted
We → work → Canada
…and 18 more, not listed.
The Aporia
